Challenging Gender Roles in Madagascar



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         What is a leader?  A leader is a role model.  A leader is powerful, brave, influential and responsible.  And in Madagascar, a leader is predominantly male.  In Malagasy culture, men hold the power as the head of the household, the bread winner, and the decision maker.  One morning, I started my tenth grade English class the way I always did, by asking the date and introducing the topic of the day: Opinions.  When we were practicing debates, I jokingly asked my tenth graders who was better, men or women.  I was shocked when the majority of the class including the girls immediately decided the answer was men.  When I asked why, I got a variety of answers all leading to the same thing.  Men are leaders.  Men can have whatever job they want to have.  Men can continue to go to school.  Men can make rules.  Men don’t have to worry about getting pregnant.  When I played devil’s advocate and said women can also do those things, the response was unanimous, “Not in Madagascar.”  In that moment, I recognized a need for gender equality and leadership training. 
           

A Look Inside My Malagasy Wallet

Malagasy money as it normally looks.

            In all countries, money plays an important role in the lives of its people.  In Madagascar this role, and the relationships it creates, exist in a large degree in the market place.  Whether it be with your favorite person to buy chicken from, or your carrot and green bean lady who always picks out the freshest veggies for you, or your pepper lady who always has a colorful array of peppers stacked in neat piles upon her straw mat on the ground, or the owner of the store who, though you rarely buy anything from him, always wants you to stop and chat so he can practice his English.  These experiences and relationships are a corner stone to many people’s lives on a daily basis. 

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